Ramavijaya. :81
ĽKama on each stone and lay it in the water; and if you
ido this, you will be able to build the shetu within a short
time. Nala did it as directed by Maruti; and the shetu
was built one hundred yojans in length and breadth so
far as Suvela without any difficulty. After the shetu was
completed, Rama crossed it with his army and came to
Suvela, where he encamped his army.
Rama set Shuka at liberty, who went to Ravana and
Informed him of what had happened to him and how they
had built the shetu. He requested the demotx-king to
submit to the ]Jfi&ce and restore Sita to him. Ravana
got very indignant and said, " You are alarmed, because
they beat you. If you advise me that way again, I shall
at once cut off your head." Soon after, Ravana sent two
demons, Shuka and Suma, to Suvela to ascertain the posi-
tion, of the army of Rama. The two demons in the forms
of monkeys mixed themselves with the monkeys belonging
to the army of the prince. Vibhishan informed Rama
'that the demons had come to Suvela in the forms of mon-
keys to ascertain the position of his army. Whereupon Rama
ordered the monkeys to allow the demons to count their
numbers. The two demons were accordingly taken round
the whole army. They, having smn ;it, returned to
Lanka and said to the demon-king, "Rama has got a large
army of monkeys,, and it will be very difficult for you
to defeat it. We, therefore, implore you to submit [to
Rama and restore Sita to him.5> Ravana was enraged and
threatened them'that he would cut off their heads, if the^
advised him that way. He then, accompanied by the two
demons, went to the top of his tower to see the army of
Rama. Vibhishan came and informed the prince that the
demon-king had gone to his tower to have a look tat> his
army, and while he was there, Sugriva jumped from Suvela,
which was at a distance of hundreds of miles from Lanka,
and returned to his camp .with the mugut: of Ravan. The